Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Some Hoosiers and an IndyStar cartoonist have chosen to criticize John Edwards for rightly calling the "War on Terror" a bumper sticker. Varvel writes:

Blaming Bush may be popular with the MoveOn.org crowd, contrary to Mr. Edwards' rhetoric, there were terror attacks before Bush was President and there will be attacks after he leaves office. Mr. Edwards says that "the war on terror" is just a slogan and not a plan. Well, what is Mr. Edwards' plan? Does he have one? Only his hairdresser knows for sure.

Well its apparent that Mr. Varvel can't use the "internets" to find Sen. Edwards clear position on global terrorism and his plan to deal with it:

It is now clear that George Bush's misnamed "war on terror" has backfired—and is now part of the problem.

The war on terror is a slogan designed only for politics, not a strategy to make America safe. It's a bumper sticker, not a plan. It has damaged our alliances and weakened our standing in the world. As a political "frame," it's been used to justify everything from the Iraq War to Guantanamo to illegal spying on the American people. It's even been used by this White House as a partisan weapon to bludgeon their political opponents. Whether by manipulating threat levels leading up to elections, or by deeming opponents "weak on terror," they have shown no hesitation whatsoever about using fear to divide.

But the worst thing about this slogan is that it hasn't worked. The so-called "war" has created even more terrorism—as we have seen so tragically in Iraq. The State Department itself recently released a study showing that worldwide terrorism has increased 25% in 2006, including a 40% surge in civilian fatalities.

By framing this as a "war," we have walked right into the trap that terrorists have set—that we are engaged in some kind of clash of civilizations and a war against Islam.

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I am here today to announce a new pledge to America's servicemen and women, their families, and our veterans. We will stand by you just as you have stood by us. As president, I will implement a defense policy based on five major principles:

Ensuring that our military policy is planned and executed to fulfill essential national security missions, not some ideological fancy;

Repairing the tremendous damage done to civil-military relations;

Rooting out cronyism and waste and increasing efficiency in the Pentagon;

Rebalancing our force structure for the challenges of the new century, including improving our capabilities to help weak or failing states;

And taking a broader view of security throughout our government.

With these steps, we can begin to rebuild an American military for a new century.

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We need a strong military for a new century, and we need one based on hope, not fear. As Robert F. Kennedy once wrote, "Our answer is the world's hope." Our answer is the world's hope. We will need imagination and courage to imagine great possibilities, to create a world where terrorism belongs to the past. We must, at the same time, rely on our heritage: a time when we were admired by the world, where we shared, with generosity and good faith, our ideals of truth, justice, and equality.

Like a beacon, America can once again provide a clear light for the world—dissolving the fog of injustice, illuminating the path to a new century.

Its simply clear that some just dont "get it" when it comes to a modern, post-Bush approach to dealing with terrorism.

John Edwards is committed to fighting terrorism against the US and our allies. John Edwards is rightly taking to task the Administrations use of "War on Terror" as political posturing to promote fear among US citizens and encourage them to make political decisions based on misinformation rather than a critical analysis of how to fight threats at home and abroad. The truth is, that under this Administration we are less safe (more terrorists according to our State Department, and less allies) and the War in Iraq has strained our military and made us less prepared to deal with terrorism home and abroad.

So saying "Stay the Course" and "Support the Troops" and we're in a "War on Terror," all while failing to lead - is nothing more than a political bumper sticker that says "George W. Bush: Because We Say So".

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Last night there was a House Party for Change meeting in Bloomington to talk about John Edwards. There were 8 of us (including one traveler from Martinsville). From college-aged to the retired, a good mix of men and women - everyone was happy to get together and learn more about the campaign and engage about the issues that are important to us in this upcoming Presidential election.

It was a great time to be inside with punch and carmel-corn as the storm in Bloomington picked up for an hour or two.

We watched the DVD from John and Elizabeth and then took some time to comment on some of the topics. Someone pointed out the theme of the campaign as a message and movement, and how John is simply our chosen messenger. If this campaign were only about John, perhaps it would not be worth it, and perhaps it would be best for Elizabeth and the children to keep John for themselves. But this campaign represents a message, an ideal, and we need a voice to carry us forward: and we can think of no better voice than John Edwards.

We also talked about the issue of trust. Honesty and transparency will become revolutionary ideas in the next White House compared to the current. And John has shown great leadership all his life in speaking frankly on the issues. We talked about the example of his truly Universal Healthcare plan: we dont just get the take-away messge from John. We get all the details of the plan: who it will cover, how much it will cost, what it will entail, etc. We get to see the whole thought-process of John when it comes to these issues. People can identify with John when he speaks clerly and honestly about his philosophy and his ideas to setting a bold, tranformative agenda.

The conference call with Elizabeth and then John reminded us that in this campaign we (unfortunately) will fight against those that would use hurtful and divisive hate language against our message and our messenger, John Edwards. And its time we stood up! No more will we let these people go unchallenged. And Elizabeth showed great poise and character on Tuesday night when she confronted those that continue this divisive course. She stood up for all of us, and we stand with Elizabeth and John.

And we discussed poverty. Not because its politically motivating, or because it will help us raise money or win an election... but because its wrong that 39 million Americans worry about how to feed or shelter themselves in the richest country in the world. Poverty, a lack of universal healthcare, and a dependance on foreign sources of energy are cancers on our long-term health and fiscal security here in America. We need to speak out, and we need to be bold in tackling these issues completely to set a new agenda.

And this agenda is not made for 4 or 8 years. We are developing a message to carry us a generation or more... to fufill the promises of America and develop a national agenda based on service, and sacrifice, and born of a belief that labor shall be valued over wealth. It wont be easy - but its time:

And I-you know, to be very simple about this, whether it's the war in Iraq, whether it's universal healthcare, whether it's getting off our addiction to oil, whether it's dealing with the issue of climate change, whether it's dealing with an issue that's enormously important to me, which is the inequality that still exists in this country, 37 million people who wake up every single day in poverty, for me it's very simple and this is it: No more pontificating, no more vacillating, no more triangulating, no more broken promises, no more pats on the head, no more 'we'll get around to it next time', no more talking half a loaf, no more tomorrow.

We got a quick photo before we all moved on (your blog author was the photographer):

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Posting here at IndianaForEdwards has been slow, and we didnt get up a link to the birthday fundraising drive - but I hope people checked it out and threw in their $6.10 for "Bold, Transformative Leadership" and Bobbie Edwards' Pecan Pie recipe!

Thursday, May 31, 2007

While Rosie O'Donnell is a poster girl for far left propaganda, far more serious is the conduct of John Edwards. The former vice presidential candidate has sold his soul to far left interests and is now telling the world the war on terror is a "bumper sticker." — Imagine losing a loved one on 9/11 hearing that.

Edwards is running a preposterous campaign. He lives like a sultan in a 30,000 foot North Carolina house. Look at that! Yet he decries economic unfairness in America. He runs around telling Americans the system is rigged, while paying $400 for a haircut. This guy is a one-man sitcom.

Now across the street from his palatial mansion is a trailer park where working class Americans live. They are neighbors of John Edwards. Some like him. Most don't.

[Interviews]

We couldn't find anybody in the trailer park to say anything nice about John Edwards.

Now "Talking Points" tries to respect all of those who want to serve their country, but Edwards is an exception. I have no respect for him. He's a phony and is in the tank for special interest to damage this country. Edwards is going nowhere, but deserves to be called out.

This is just more cheap political shots from a hack at a propoganda outlet loosing its muster among average Americans.

Where to even begin:

- Edwards has rightly rejected the GWB frame of "Global War on Terror" as a bumper-sticker. And so have many leading military and national security experts. So did the 9/11 Commission! To suggest that Edwards is unsympathetic to those "losing a loved one on 9/11" is demogogery. O'Reilly could have done his job and provided information on John's speech on our military in New York last week. There Edwards laid out a true vision for a forward-leaning modern military and foreign policy that would be tougher on terrorism than our current efforts of a mindless occupation of Iraq.

- The criticism of Edwards owning a large home and being empathetic for the poor as "preposterous" is a tired old conservative false attack. Apparently only the poor can advocate for the poor, and if your rich you must remain a ignorant buffoon like Bill O'Reilly. John Edwards has nothing to appologize for builing the home for his family that he wishes to build. He earned it - by the sweat of his brow. John Edwards is the American dream. He's just a son of a mill-worker, the brother of a union carpenter, who dropped out of Auburn after a semester, worked at the mill, and decided to make something of himself. Graduated from NC State, UNC Law degree, best damn lawyer in the state; married up, four beautiful children, buried a child, served his state and his country. Just try and demean that. And here's Elizabeth herself on the house:

What I do know is that it is no news bulletin that John and I have money. It is no news bulletin that he earned every cent. And it is no news bulletin that children in Robbins read in a nice children's library room, that high school students in Raleigh and Goldsboro do their research in nice computer labs, that Raleigh Parks and Rec centers have computer labs for residents, that the homeless in the Triangle have assistance with their shelters and Habitat for Humanity has assistance in building them homes -- among other things -- because John did not just spend what he earned on himself. He does not need to apologize, and you do not need to apologize for him. (Although bless your hearts for wanting to.)

John Edwards understands working class people, and he's shown it with his tireless support of trade unions (who built the middle class), his universal healthcare proposal, his rural recovery plan, his work to rasise the minimum wage in 6 states, etc.

- "A phony and is in the tank for special interest"? Look in a mirror lately Bill-o?

No wonder more peopel are watching Olbermann at that hour. I know I am.

Friday, May 11, 2007

EDWARDS GAINS STRENGTH IN INDIANAMore than 30 Democratic leaders endorse Edwards for president

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – As Senator John Edwards’ presidential campaign continues to gain support across the country, more than 30 Democratic leaders from Indiana came out in support of Edwards and his vision to transform America. Among those endorsing Edwards for president are Indiana House of Representatives Majority Leader Russ Stillwell and former Indiana Democratic Party Chairs Robin Winston and Ann DeLaney.

“As a third generation coal miner, I understand the challenges facing America’s working families,” said Stilwell. “Between caring for elderly parents, paying their bills and educating their children, working men and women struggle to make ends meet. John Edwards understands the choices facing Hoosier workers as they strive to provide for their families. I am proud to join other Democrats in supporting John Edwards for President because I know he will work to make the American dream a reality for all of us.”

Winston endorsed Edwards saying, "John Edwards embodies the spirit of our party. He has plans to address the issues that matter to Hoosier families — plans to provide universal health care, create a new energy economy, strengthen our middle class and protect our country. Senator Edwards reminds me of the best of our Midwest values and will help move Indiana and our nation forward."

DeLaney said, “I think that John Edwards is uniquely qualified in this very dangerous time to lead our country. He shares the values of Hoosiers and understands the challenges facing the middle class. I enthusiastically endorse his candidacy.”

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Add your name to the petition (70k signatures and growing) asking the US Congress to End the War in Iraq by challenging this President with real binding measures in funding to defund the escalation and end the occupation of Iraq and redeploy. We need to speak clearly to the Congress that it is their responsibility to control the power of the purse. We can no longer allow George W. Bush to ignore our best interests in further engaging in the current failed policy in Iraq.

Check out the "We the People" campaign at JohnEdwards.com and watch the newest ads.

This is just an announcement that the Indiana for Edwards blog will hopefully roll-out fully sometime later this month. In the mean time I'll be updating the banners and links and posting the most important campaign information, etc.

But I hope to soon include:- New colaborators- Links to other Statewide Edwards blogs- Analysis of Edwards message and the politics of the Presidential primary and general election- News around the Hoosier state that coincides with Edwards' message and campaign- Any information on endorsements or Indiana fundraisers for John Edwards (note that Edwards has raised the most money from Indiana of any Presidential contender)

Please feel free to explore the page and leave comments or email feedback (indianaforedwards at gmail). And think about making a donation on behalf of Indiana Hoosiers to John Edwards for President!